Cloisters

[Go Gators]

Man that's tomorrow.

Two quick questions from me, Cobyguy. How do you design spaces that encourage a person to go outside and engage with their neighbors? Truly that's what I want from my next residence, and I'm just curious how to make it happen. I think if I were in the Cloisters, or somehwere downtown, I'd probably be outside all the time. I love the fact that you tell people when they buy at the cloisters they're trading their yard for 3 parks and a Civic Center. I think that's a great thought!

[Florida]

Invite them over for a burger and a beer

[poonther]

Hey Cobyguy: Just out of curiosity, since you're a developer in that area, what do you think of that run down set of condos by RR Square that recently sold for about $20K each? Are they getting fixed up in the ways you'd like to see? Did that have any impact on other local prices, or was it such a complete fluke that it didn't even make a ripple?

[cobyguy]

Invite them over for a burger and a beer

[Go Gators]

The suburbs, with their big open front yards are a statement of exclusivity. It tells the pedestrian stay away. Dont speak to me, and dont even look my way. It creates a cold unwelcoming environment for pedestrians, neighbors and home owners alike. Every house in the burbs in a island of unwelcomeness.

[humzai]

I didn't know any of the reasoning behind your decisions when I saw a unit but I did overall like the place yet I did not have veto power. What kind of party are you having tommmorow? Anyone planning on going? A mini meet could be fun.

[Florida]

I didn't know any of the reasoning behind your decisions when I saw a unit but I did overall like the place yet I did not have veto power. What kind of party are you having tommmorow? Anyone planning on going? A mini meet could be fun.

[fivesfella]

Ah the Sunshine Apartments in the Stearns-Mosely neighborhood. What a diamond in the rough that neighborhood is. What great possibilities it holds w/its location and urban forest. I heard that the guy that bought the apts (they use to be notorious for drugs) did so for his kids. I know several folks from RR square that have purchased a unit, the $20K price is for the unit as is and you must fix them up. Also one of our county commissioners Cliff Thaell has purchased at least one unit. I also believe all the units have been sold.

[cobyguy]

I didn't know any of the reasoning behind your decisions when I saw a unit but I did overall like the place yet I did not have veto power. What kind of party are you having tommmorow? Anyone planning on going? A mini meet could be fun.

[cobyguy]

People in the suburbs could likely make the same claim about urban dwellers, with their cement yards appearing unwelcoming. When I drive home in the evenings and see people out in their yards or driveways, they always wave and say hello, and sometimes I'll pull in and talk with them for a while. I've never had this happen in more urban areas, especially more "trendy" locations. People in my neighborhood walk over to each other's houses all the time if they see them out grilling, playing with the kids and bringing their kids over while we have a beer, or whatever it may be. I personally cant remember a neighborhood that I've lived in since childhood that this wasnt the case. I dont think thats an accurate statement at all.

[Florida]

How do you get spellcheck to work?

[Go Gators]

I'm beating you up here a little but I'll quote something you wrote above that sort of makes my point for me about exclusion and seperation in the suburbs. "When I drive home in the evenings and see people out in their yards or driveways, they always wave and say hello, and sometimes I'll pull in and talk with them for a while. . The suburbs are all about keeping our distance while driving by. Yes you cant be in contact but the distances are much greater. The scale is based on the car not the human. Everything is designed to accomodate the cars. In the burbs the cars have right of way. In the city neighborhoods the humans do. (theoretically).

[Florida]

And yes, I sometimes pull on because a majority of the time I want to get home to see my Mrs. and my lab more than I want to talk to my neighbors, because she comes first.

[poonther]

I definitely think there are neighborhood designs that make interactions w/your neighbors more conducive, however I must say no matter how good or bad these designs are an a**hole is an a**hole whether they are downtown or in the 'burbs.

GG it's probably just your Gator/Fred Thompson like charisma that draws folks to you like a moth to a flame.

[Florida]

I definitely think there are neighborhood designs that make interactions w/your neighbors more conducive, however I must say no matter how good or bad these designs are an a**hole is an a**hole whether they are downtown or in the 'burbs.

GG it's probably just your Gator/Fred Thompson like charisma that draws folks to you like a moth to a flame.

[Go Gators]

GG, you wouldn't happen to have sold a young "African American" fella a set of KLH speakers this year would ya??

[Florida]

Well, Im not sure what KLH speakers are, so I would say no! haha

[Rachiroo]

I definitely think there are neighborhood designs that make interactions w/your neighbors more conducive, however I must say no matter how good or bad these designs are an a**hole is an a**hole whether they are downtown or in the 'burbs.

GG it's probably just your Gator/Fred Thompson like charisma that draws folks to you like a moth to a flame.

[Florida]

Maybe my neighbors are just a**holes, or maybe it's me! If there is a secret I'd love to know it, because I'm not feeling the love that GG gets from his neighbors.

[DaiDreamer5]

I'm one of those horrible people that never talk to thier neighbors. I guess I like having more control over the people I spend time with. The idea of someone knowing where I live just because they live next to me is scary.

Of course I have been a tenant for many years. My parents moved around a lot when I was a child and I haven't spent too much time in any one place in Tallahassee.

My idea place to live would be on two-three acres of wooded land. A nice house with room to entertain my freinds (both inside and out). An escape from life. Of course this is really expensive now a days.

[Florida]

I'm one of those horrible people that never talk to thier neighbors. I guess I like having more control over the people I spend time with. The idea of someone knowing where I live just because they live next to me is scary.

Of course I have been a tenant for many years. My parents moved around a lot when I was a child and I haven't spent too much time in any one place in Tallahassee.

My idea place to live would be on two-three acres of wooded land. A nice house with room to entertain my freinds (both inside and out). An escape from life. Of course this is really expensive now a days.

[Rachiroo]

Sometimes you have to force your neighbors to love ya. I recall living in 3 very distinct neighborhoods here in Tallahassee growing up.

(1) Apalachee Ridge in the 80s. Initially it was diverse, at least my street was. Old white couple on the left, a Black Family on the right, and two white families across the street (30s-40s age range). My mom would often speak with the neighbors and would often exchange favors such as getting mail when away for a while, cup of sugar, rolling the trash can back up the house and so on. Then there was a flight of some sort from the neighborhood for those two across the street. The old white couple next door remained, but became less social as a different breed of folks moved into the neighborhood, and the black family on the other side moved out sadly, and rented the house out to some very loud, dirty tenants. Downhill from there. The overall experience was neighborly, we would talk over the fence the way you see on TV shows such as Home Improvement, but the tenant occupied homes really forced us out.

(2) Park Terrace, specifically Barrie Avenue near the Tallahassee Mall. The very best home I've ever lived in. Nothing was fancy about it, but our yard. The neighbors seemed to always be outside working in their yards, cars, or playing with the kids. We walked to school with our friends everyday, we knew everybody! The people on our street and on the adjacent streets. I could go door to door and do my school fund raisers and actually sell things because my neighbors knew who I was and could trust me. I cut my neighbor's yards for $10. I'd swim in the pool of the people across the street and when they weren't home, we'd take a walk to the Levy Park pool and dip there. When there was drama on the street, everyone knew it. There was a potter down the road who would let me and my sister come watch him as he spun his clay into something useful, I'd often sit and talk with him when I had nothing else to do. Neighborhoods like this seem so rare these days, but Barrie and that neighborhood has retained the same character, even to this day.

(3) Kimberly Hills, Eastern Leon County (unincorporated). This was a private neighborhood. We knew some people, but not many. People would speak in passing, but when you went in you went in. We knew those immediately adjacent to us, and the old man who lived on the corner near the bus stop, and the pool man Mr. Wiseman down the road but beyond them, not many others. Even the kids who lived in the neighborhood never socialized beyond the bus stop, there was simply too much distance between our homes despite bicycles and good running shoes. The neighbors on our left never came out, never spoke in the many years we lived in that home, neither did those across the street.

[poonther]

GG it's probably just your Gator/Fred Thompson like charisma that draws folks to you like a moth to a flame.

[Rachiroo]

You do know that in my twisted little way, that was a compliment??? Yeah I know it didn't sound like it.

Hey Rachiroo the lay-out and dynamics of my 'hood is very much like yours, however I have been blessed w/great neighbors. I know them all and have been in most of their homes several times. Sometimes it just must be "luck of the draw" b/c I've met you and your hubby and you both seem to be very nice friendly intelligent people. If you lived in my 'hood, I'd be hanging at your place all the time.

[Florida]

You do know that in my twisted little way, that was a compliment??? Yeah I know it didn't sound like it.

Hey Rachiroo the lay-out and dynamics of my 'hood is very much like yours, however I have been blessed w/great neighbors. I know them all and have been in most of their homes several times. Sometimes it just must be "luck of the draw" b/c I've met you and your hubby and you both seem to be very nice friendly intelligent people. If you lived in my 'hood, I'd be hanging at your place all the time.